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Boost Mobile has expanded its offerings to become a more full featured wireless provider with the launch of smartwatch and tablet plans. The first smartwatches and tablets to be supported are Apple Watches and iPads. Both are available for purchase online at Boostmobile.com and through Boost Mobile stores.
Tablet and Smartwatch Plans Overview
Boost Mobile is offering just a single tablet plan and a single smartwatch plan.
Tablet Plan:
- Unlimited data (first 30GB classified as “premium data”)
- $20/month when paired with a phone plan, or $45/month standalone
- Bring your own iPad
Smartwatch Plan
- Unlimited talk, text, and data (includes 2GB of premium data)
- $10/month with a phone plan, or $25/month standalone
- Bring Your Own Apple Watch supported
Taxes and fees are extra.
The tablet plan is customizable with some of Boost's standard add-ons such as global roaming for $20/month, and Canada and Mexico roaming for $10/month.
Boost Mobile does not specify what "premium data" means. According to a Boost representative on Reddit, it means the amount of high-speed data you get before throttling, presumably to 512Kbps.
To activate a smartwatch or tablet plan, new customers must also purchase at least one phone line. Existing customers will also need to have a minimum of one active phone line if they want to finance or purchase an Apple Watch or iPad. Autopay is required for activation.
Network Compatibility
According to the same Reddit post, Apple Watches and iPads will be activated on whatever network is best in a customer's location which may include Boost's native network, AT&T, or T-Mobile. Apple Watches currently lack 5G radios and will not be able to use Boost's native network, but will still be provisioned using Boost Mobile's core systems.
Apple Watch and iPad Pricing
Boost is offering $100 off the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and select iPads, but only if you agree to a 36-month financing term. The savings may not justify such a long commitment for many buyers and Boost probably should have considered giving them away for "free" with terms like that.
Available Apple Watches include:
- Apple Watch Series 10 ($499.99) or $11.11/month with the financing discount
- Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) ($299.99), or $5.55/month with discount
- Apple Watch Ultra 2 ($799.99, or $19.44/month after discount
Apple iPad models include
- iPad Pro (11-inch: $1,151.99, 13-inch: $1,439.99), financing starts at $29.22/month
- iPad Air (11-inch: $712.99, 13-inch: $902.99), financing starts $18.05/month
- iPad mini ($617.99) iPad (11-inch: $474.99), financing starts at $13.49/month
Competition Heats Up
Not many carriers or MVNOs offer support for both tablets and smartwatches. Most that do are carrier owned prepaid brands although a small number of independent MVNOs like PureTalk, Google Fi, and US Mobile support both. Recently, Verizon's Value brands including Total Wireless, Verizon Prepaid, and Straight Talk have launched new and updated tablet plans of their own. So competition is certainly heating up in this space, and that's a good thing for consumers.